Back to the Hansons!

Workout: linear algebra?

So I didn't run today. Obviously. Unless linear algebra is a strange running workout I've never heard of, which wouldn't surprise me. I mean, fartlek? Ladder? Yasso 800s? Running's weird.

But no, I didn't run. I spent last night doing terribly unhealthy things to my body, like trying to convince a stranger that yes, Prussia really was a thing (keep it classy, Alaska). That hurt my heart almost as much as the alcohol ravaged my poor liver.

I suppose I could have forced myself outside for a run, but I want my first run back to be fun, not vomit-inducing. Plus, my thighs are still crazy sore from yesterday's hike. Oh, what's that I hear? Is it you begging me for another picture, or is it just me telling myself I need to throw a picture somewhere in this post? Who cares?

I did manage to take Bailey outside for some fetch. And by "fetch" I mean "Jeano throws the ball once and spends the rest of fetch time trying to convince Bailey to drop it." While we were out there, I jogged a bit on the grass to see what was up with the ankle I re-tweaked during my hike. No pain! And finally, an extreme desire to run! I've been surprisingly relaxed about my extended break from running and was sort of wondering/worrying about whether I was going to ever feel like doing it again. It seems I just needed a small taste first! Tomorrow will be my official return to running, when I attempt to sprint the 7:30 mile Professor Amy tells me I need to run in order to break two hours in the half. Okay, not really; I'll probably just run an easy three miles.

----

When I posted my review of the Hanson Method a couple of weeks ago (has it been that long already?! How long can I keep telling people I "just ran a marathon?" Six months? A year? On second thought, don't tell me), I asked whether you guys had any questions about it. It's a hell of a lot easier to have someone else choose a post topic for you than to come up with it on your own, especially when your ideas consist solely of "this was my run today" and "look at my pretty views." So when Coach Holly threw in a few questions about the Hansons, my first thought was, "Yes! Something to talk about!" followed quickly by, "Shit, this is going to require some actual thought."

Well, I can't say that I thought about it too much, but I'll see what I can do:

What was the MOST challenging part for you?

This is a hard question to answer. I had such a positive experience with the Hanson Method that I seem to have conveniently forgotten all of the hard parts. 

One would assume my answer would be something along the lines of, "Running six days a week is a real time suck, not to mention incredibly tiring," but in reality, it actually wasn't that bad. I didn't really have any trouble getting out there every day, and although there was a short stretch towards the end when I whined about how tired I was, overall training for a marathon was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. There was a lot of  #######run#luv#lolhashtag#OMG##.

For me, the two biggest challenges were actually 1) doing most of my runs at a much slower pace than I was accustomed to, and 2) trusting that the Hansons know what they're talking about. As my training progressed and I started to see enormous gains, it definitely got easier to do both of these things.

What did you LOVE about it?

Almost everything! I loved the variety of the runs, I loved that I never felt completely wasted after my long runs, I loved the fact that I often finished Tuesday speed workouts ready for more (despite the fact that it was my sixth consecutive day of running), and most of all, I loved feeling like I was finally a "real" runner (an arbitrary distinction that existed only in my mind, but an important one nonetheless!).

What did you HATE about it?

Honestly, nothing. I know that sounds like a cop out, but it's true! I can see some people hating its lack of flexibility, but that was rarely an issue for me.

What would you say to a friend embarking on their first Hanson's training cycle?

Prepare to be amazed! And, DO YOUR RUNS AT THE PRESCRIBED PACE. I'm sure there are hordes of people who have given up on this plan because they injure themselves/burn out from running too fast, which is totally their loss. Also, as with any training plan, consistency is key-try not to miss runs if at all possible.

Well, that's all I've got-happy Sunday!